Published: July 26, 2009 09:56 pm         

Keller resigns as Raiders’ baseball coach

Southeast baseball coach Jason Keller, who has led the Raiders the last seven seasons, is steppig down from his post, he told The Daily Citizen on Sunday. He’s leaving Southeast to be closer to his family in San Antonio. He will be an assistant coach at Uvalde High school, which about an hour west of San Antonio.

Keller informed Raiders athletic director Scott Ramsey of his decision last Tuesday.

“I always knew I wanted to go back home,” Keller said. “But it had to be the right time, the right opportunity and the right fit. Uvalde has a rich baseball and football tradition, and go about three rounds deep into the state playoffs every year. The fact the school is close to home was a deal breaker for me.”

Keller said he’ll be next in line for the head baseball coaching job at Uvalde.

Ramsey understood Keller’s need to be closer to home.

“If I was living somewhere other than Georgia, I’d want to get back home too,” Ramsey said. “I totally understand where he’s coming from. He stayed here for seven years and we hate to lose him, but I’m extremely happy for him.”

Keller took over as Raiders coach in 2003 and last year Southeast compiled a 10-15 overall record and 4-10 region record in its first year in 6-3A.

Keller addressed his players Tuesday in a meeting at the school cafeteria. Raiders outfielder Tanner McCutchen, who will be a senior in 2009-10, said Keller was emotional while telling the players of his decision.

“He loves all of us kids,” said McCutchen, who also quarterbacks the Raiders’ football team. “We’ve known him since we were little, so in a way it was like a dad leaving. But everyone is behind him 100 percent.”

Keller is the third Raiders coach to resign in the last four months. In March, girls basketball coach Jeff McDonald resigned after four seasons for health reasons. In May, boys basketball coach Joey Bryson stepped down after just one season to accept the same position at Stephens County High School in Taccoa.

     

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